Team from Sofia (Bulgaria) wins the 2nd edition of the FBE Contract Competition!

The competition, organized by the Fédération des Barreaux d’Europe (FBE), was held on May 12–14 in the Warsaw Bar Association. The originator of the competition and its host was the Warsaw Bar Association (Poland).

Negotiations on international trade agreements lasted for two days. Eight teams from Poland, Belgium, Bulgaria, Romania, Spain and the UK took part in the competition.
The competition was won by the team from Sofia Bar Association: Velichka Ivanova Almicheva & Nikoleta Vladimirowa Racheva. The second place, ex aequo, was awarded to the teams from: Spain – the Madrid Bar Association (Francisco Javier Martinez Diaz & Sora Park Shin) and Romania – the Cluj Bar Association (Gabriela Bucatariu and Lia Sabou). Third place was taken by the team of the Davon & Somerset Law Society from the United Kingdom consisting of Laura Britton & Benjamin Thomson.

Distinctions for Excellence in Legal Skills went to:

the team of the Antwerp Bar Association – Dogan Alper & Stefan Mee,

the team of the Warsaw Bar Association – Marta Czarnecka i Ewa Mońdziel,

the team of the Antwerp Bar Association – Michele Duyck & Toon Michielsen,

“Invisible” judges had a task to observe all teams and evaluate their work on contracts. The next task was to check the negotiated contracts. – Each judge got a list of requirements that need to be taken into account when evaluating them – says Carmen Pérez Andújar of the Madrid Bar Association. According to Carmen Pérez Andújar, there were two teams from the beginning, who stood out from the others. – From the very beginning I saw two teams whose members were very well prepared and their level of knowledge was really very high – she adds.

What the participants thought about the competition? – It was a very interesting experience for us. Our partners, with whom we were negotiating today, the Belgians, were really well prepared. It was not easy, because some issues were tricky, but we hope we did well – said Velichka Ivanova Almicheva and Nikoleta Vladimirowa Racheva of the Sofia Bar Association, the winners of the competition.

Young Bulgarian lawyers also appreciate the very idea of the competition itself. – This contest is an opportunity for young lawyers to develop, as well as a good opportunity to meet people from other countries and exchange experiences. You can test your limitations during such competition. It will certainly be very useful for our further professional practice – they added.

The competition was kindly sponsored by Witold Modzelewski Attorney-at-law and Deloitte Legal.